Identifying Legionella Exposure Risks in Puerto Rico to Prevent Pontiac Fever and Legionnaires’ Disease
Zimmetry Environmental provides environmental and infection control testing, monitoring, consulting, and training services to mitigate exposure risks to Legionella and other pathogens.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) even states that managing Legionella risks and preventing worker exposures and legionellosis cases depend on implementing an effective water management program.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes Pontiac fever as a mild respiratory disease that gets better without treatment. It is caused by a type of bacteria known as Legionella. Unfortunately, exposure to Legionella can also cause Legionnaires’ disease, a serious and potentially deadly infection.
Legionella can be found in natural, freshwater environments. Water containing the bacteria can spread in a mist or droplets small enough to be inhaled. Less commonly, people can get sick by aspiration of drinking water containing Legionella.
CDC warns that Legionella can become a health concern when it grows and spreads in human-made building water systems like:
- Showerheads and sink faucets
- Hot tubs
- Decorative fountains and water features
- Hot water tanks and heaters
- Large, complex plumbing systems
- Cooling towers
The agency also shares that it usually takes between a few hours to 3 days after being exposed to Legionella bacteria to develop Pontiac fever symptoms. The illness is generally milder than Legionnaires’ disease, and someone with Pontiac fever doesn’t have pneumonia. Symptoms usually last less than 1 week and mostly include:
- Fever
- Muscle aches
“The good news is most healthy people exposed to Legionella don’t get sick,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “However, at-risk individuals should be aware of this exposure hazard. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) even states that managing Legionella risks and preventing worker exposures and legionellosis cases depend on implementing an effective water management program.”
In Puerto Rico and across the Caribbean, the industrial hygiene, infection control, and building science professionals at Zimmetry Environmental offer water management programs that include Legionella testing, monitoring, consulting, and training services. Their experts can create a proactive plan to help prevent new cases of Pontiac fever and Legionnaires’ disease. They can also quickly identify the source of an outbreak if one has already occurred.
Zimmetry recently sponsored an educational video about Pontiac fever and Legionella exposure risks that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/YaWWLPBqYrI
To learn more about Zimmetry’s water, air, environmental, infection control, and compliance testing and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals, and Fortune 500 companies. The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America. The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs, and general environmental consulting services.
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Infection Control- Contact Information
- Paul Cochrane
- President
- Cochrane & Associates, LLC
- Contact via E-mail
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